UN Security Council meeting: China promotes platform for talks in Gulf to ease concerns over Iran

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing supports dialogue between Gulf states and signatories of JPOCA

He also takes a veiled swipe at US sanctions on Iran, but American representative says country will maintain ‘maximum pressure” on Tehran

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing supports the creation of a platform for dialogue in the Persian Gulf. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:29pm, 21 Oct 2020Updated: 10:44pm, 21 Oct 2020

China pushed for greater dialogue in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday at a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in the region, while also making a veiled criticism of the United States for its sanctions on Iran.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing supported the establishment of a new platform for multilateral dialogue to ease tensions in the region and achieve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOCA) – better known as the Iran nuclear deal.

Speaking at the meeting – at which China faced flak over its detention of Canadian Michael Kovrig – Wang said the platform should be “equal and open, action-oriented and sustainable”, according to a transcript provided by China’s foreign ministry.

“The signatories of the JPOCA and countries in the Gulf region would make natural participants,” he said.

“And other countries outside the region could put forward their own reasonable demands, and make positive contributions to promoting regional security and stability.”

Wang criticised the imposition of unilateral sanctions on Iran and the use of “double standards”, according to a United Nations press release, though he did not specifically mention the US.